location Map

International Airport

MSY - New Orleans

Season

​Year Round Fishery

Capacity

​12 Anglers

Species

Redfish

LOCATION
The Dogwood Lodge is located in Hopedale, Louisiana. Right in the heart of the Biloxi Marsh. Hopedale is located an easy 45-minute drive southeast of New Orleans and is on the edge of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.

PRIMARY SPECIES
Redfish

SEASON OF OPERATION
This is a year round fishery. Peak season for Big Reds is mid-October through March.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE LOGISTICS
There are no set arrival and departure days on the Dogwood. So long as there is space, guests can book to arrive and depart at their convenience.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The Dogwood is a historical vessel that was originally built for the US Coast Guard as buoy tender on the upper Mississippi River. It was later purchased by a cruise company and converted into a multiday vessel for river cruises. The Lodge offers 6 private rooms with 2 twin beds per room and each room has a private bath. The rooms are named after the rivers she has traversed throughout her past: Red, White, Arkansas, Atchafalaya, Ouachita and Kanawha.

The Lodge features a lounge area known as the Mississippi Room on the second deck with comfortable seating and wide screen TV to reminisce about the day’s adventures. We offer a complimentary bar as well as outdoor seating to enjoy your morning coffee or evening libation and cigar. This room can also serve as a conference room for business meetings or seminars as needed. The dining room is located on the first floor and is appropriately named the Ohio Room. It seats twelve for meals and can easily convert into a meeting room for corporate retreats and training sessions.

DESTINATION CAPACITY
12 anglers

THE FISHING
The Biloxi Marsh is an estuary network of 210,000 acres of coastal wetlands located on the eastern side of Louisiana which borders the Gulf of Mexico. Crisscrossed by bayous and canals, dotted with innumerable lakes, bays, ponds and lagoons; it provides a rich variety of habitat that offers for some of the best coastal fishing anywhere on earth.

Unexplored, difficult to reach and even harder to navigate, the Biloxi Marsh ensures the continuance of a healthy fisheries on parts of the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. Shrimp, juvenile fish and crustaceans create a buffet environment for big redfish and speckled trout. The Marsh is a diverse estuary with many of the natural ingredients commonly found in world-class fishing destinations. Like the nearby barrier islands, these wetlands were formed more than 2,000 years age when the mouth of the Mississippi River was near present-day Hopedale, Louisiana.

The marsh is essentially remnants of that ancient river delta. The Dogwood Lodge has access to a sizable 5,702-acre tract of pristine wetlands within the marsh. The redfish here are plentiful year-round, with the best shots at 25+ pound fish occurring during the fall and early winter. The speckled trout fishing tends to peak in the spring and summer. The Biloxi Marsh is so vast and under fished that after a day on the water, it can seem like this entire region is yours and it’s not uncommon to fish for days without seeing another boat fishing the marsh.

One of the aspects that we like about fishing this location is that it offers a very good option for fishing if the weather on the outer edge of the Biloxi Marsh is not conducive to site fishing. When the wind is ripping, guests staying at the Dogwood Lodge can take the 15-minute drive down to Delacroix, where you can fish a completely different and much more protected, interior part of the marsh. While the fish found in this part of the marsh are not as big as those found in the outer, eastern areas of the marsh, it’s a great option to have if the weather is not cooperating.

The Dogwood Lodge can also be booked for both water fowl hunts and Cast and Blasts.
The Coastal Zone duck season runs from Nov. 12 to Dec. 4 and Dec. 17 to Jan. 22, 2017

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT
East Cape Vantage Skiffs, Hells Bay and Dolphin Super skiffs powered by Honda 4 stroke 50-70 HP engines. The boats have plenty of cockpit space to move around and have the coffin box for extra seating. The skiffs are fast and hit and draft beautifully in about 6 inches of water, meaning that guests will be able to access all but the skinniest of water found throughout the islands and marshlands.

GETTING THERE
Guests will normally fly in and out of the New Orleans International Airport. A driver will be waiting for you in the baggage section of the airport holding a sign with your name on it. He will then drive you directly to the lodge. If you are staying in New Orleans for a night or two before the start of your fishing trip, our driver will pick you up in the lobby of your hotel for the 50-minute drive down to Hopedale.

Slipstream is a full service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.

INCLUDED IN PRICE

Round trip shuttle service on arrival and departure day with Town Car and driver, based on DBL occupancy

Number of nights accommodation based on package purchased

Number of guide days based on package purchased

Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day

Alcohol

NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE

Gratuities for guides and boat staff

Fishing Gear (fly and spin)

Louisiana fishing license

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
Canadian, British, EU and Australian citizens only need a valid passport for entry to the United States. No visa is required